


Fatal Impact

by WarriorHeart



Category: Ninjago - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Lots of nightmares, M/M, Nightmares, basically the whole crew, cole gets infected, looking at you cole, lots of stupid ideas, more to be added - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-10
Updated: 2018-03-10
Packaged: 2019-03-29 12:59:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13927620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WarriorHeart/pseuds/WarriorHeart
Summary: The Overlord had struck before the ninja could ever complete their training, much less Lloyd. Few were left uninfected, and for two years, those who survived hid, fought or starved. But those two years are at an end, and everyone is tired of being fearful. They have planned to strike back, to cure the infected as best as they could and reclaim Ninjago.But with all stories, something goes terribly wrong.





	1. Prologue

 

        While the camp slept, two were awake, simply watching the group. They were too high for the infected to reach, so there was really no need for a watch, but they could not sleep and the group felt more secure with them. There were perhaps thirty people below them, nestled in a dip of the hills against the chill of the night. With what was little more than eternal darkness - yet something they could see through - covering the skies, no plants had grown, nor had the sun shone for just over two years. The world around them was dead, all except for a few places - the plants that didn't need sun, that thrived in the dark. And they had no heat from the earth, being so high up.

        One of the two released a breath, watching as the cloud left his mouth and slowly faded in the air. The man by his side glanced over, however did not speak. Not yet. They had split from the others three months ago. Kai and Jay directed another group, around forty-five people, and Lloyd, Wu and Misako watched over and lead a group of sixty. It made Cole sick to think so little had survived the Overlord's attack, but it could have been worse.

        He could have lost Zane.

        Naturally, he kept quiet about his feelings. He was meant to be a leader for the team, not some lovestruck fool. But he knew, before the attack, that his feelings had influenced his actions around Zane - asking for more sparring to 'perfect a move' to spend more time with him, helping clean up after dinner when he really didn't have to, just wanting to be close to him. Their pairing for such a mission had been strategic, on Wu's part. Fire and ice did not mix, nor did earth and lightning - not well, anyways. It was mainly Kai and Zane arguing the Sensei had been avoiding.

        And, Cole admitted to himself, the elder had also ensured one of the smarter ninja was with each team. He knew he would never be as smart as Zane or even Jay, and he was alright with that. And Kai had been particularly... unpredictable after Nya had become infected. He took comfort with Jay, not Zane or Cole, and Cole could accept that.

        He curled up a bit, resting his chin on his knees as he pulled himself from his thoughts. Though Zane had never felt as cold as the others unless in extreme temperatures, he still provided heat for the others, a fact Cole was grateful for. There was no way they were lighting a fire, not after the last one had cost them Nya. So he leaned against Zane, giving a content hum.

        "We managed to save them all..."

        "Yes," Zane confirmed, nodding as he spoke. Cole would never know about the glance the platinum blond snuck down to him. "Though I'm sure there are more out there."

        "Of course... Some are loners. We can't expect everyone to come out while the majority of the population is infected. I just wish we could find a cure instead of having to kill them..."

        "As do I. But death is inevitable, and everyone is starving. We have to attack now, if only to drive them from the villages or towns. We need food. Proper food."

        Cole chuckled dryly, his mind flickering back to discovering the Bounty. Well, Zane leading them to the Bounty. That heavenly smell... The smell of home. "Your food, you mean."

        "There are better cooks than me, Cole."

        "Yes, but you're the best _I_ know."

        With soft smiles, the two fell into silence once more. This, however, was a much more comfortable silence, and by dawn, Cole had fallen asleep against his friend. They were attacking later, anyways. And he hadn't gotten much sleep. And Zane was so warm...

        It felt like heaven.

-

        The sounds of weapons sinking into skin and cries of pain were the only ones those in the city could hear. There were occasional shouts for help or a new weapon, but those were few and far between. Leading it all, right into the thickest part of the infected, were the ninja and their mentors. Attacking on three sides, their plan was to push to the middle in order to clear the city. The infected were quite hard to kill, as normal weapons like knives or swords would hardly scratch them, but the elements and guns made up for it.

        Cole, for the most part, was trying to block everything out. The _squish_ of someone being flattened under his boulders, the last human flicker as the infected realized they were a moment from death's door. If he'd listened, he knew he would have thrown up where he stood and never have the will to get up again.

        So, he imagined the skeleton army. They, at least, were easy to put in place of actual humans, however dead they seemed, and he had no qualms with smashing skeletons. They would simply return to the Underworld. ...unlike Samukai. But that was another matter.

        He found he was quite good at distracting himself like this... until pain in his arm broke the spell. One of the infected, legs long gone, had latched onto his arm as it fell back to the ground from one of his attacks. With a cry, he tried to pry it off, but hell, that thing was strong and it was biting him. Hard. And then more infected were around him, and Cole had no choice but to summon the power of his true potential - something that would exhaust him but get him completely out of harm's way.

        Seconds later, the infected were gone. There were no remains, they were just... gone. And it wasn't just around him. It was all over. Before he could take much in, though, he was on the ground, hands and knees, stomach refusing to hold the food from the night prior any longer. The infected were weaker towards the elements, he knew that, but he had just... It was like some editor of a game had gone into the files and erased a certain enemy from one area of the game. Gone. Zip. No return. With horror, he wondered if Nya had been in there. Or his father. Or Dareth. Or any of the people they had met on their travels.

        His stomach was empty, but his body didn't seem to think so. It was starting to hurt now, and he thanked whatever higher being looked out for them that his sleeves had fallen to normal length - he never liked the extra restraint of fabric when he fought - because Zane was right next to him, pulling him close, and suddenly he was sobbing, wailing, clinging to him as the full weight of what he had done fell on him. The infected that had been in the city had no chance of becoming human again. Their goal had been to clear out the city, but not like this. Dead infected could still be cured. The families, at least, would have a body. But because of him this was no longer an option, and he had gotten himself infected in the process.

        Cole had fucked up.

        Big time.


	2. One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cole isolates himself, mentions of harming oneself, indirect wish for death

        Since reclaiming the city, there had been a noticeable absence of the noirette. He didn't show up to training - now that they had the city, they could relax for a bit and get back to full strength, since there were ways to artificially grow plants - nor breakfast, dinner, or lunch. When he was seen, Cole looked miserable. Pale instead of his usual healthy tan (admittedly, that had faded over the two years, but never this quickly) and concern began to spread - was he sick? He was always wearing full-length clothing, a fact that went mostly ignored.

        It was ultimately Lloyd that was the first to visit him. The youngest, he worried the most. While the others were prepared to give him his space as long as he needed it, Lloyd wasn't. He knew how bad this could get. As he entered, he could instantly smell days old food. Cole hadn't been eating, and if he had, it was very little.

        The curtains were closed and there were no lights, so it took the blond a while to find Cole in the dark. Cole himself was watching Lloyd; his outline was clearly visible in the dim hall light. It must've been night; it always seemed a tad darker then.

        "Cole...?"

        Dread filled his stomach. It was hard to talk, now. He could think the words, but not say them. He wondered if this was a permanent effect of the disease. If it was... he had to talk to Zane soon, while he could still think... His skin was already laced with black veins. He felt sick constantly. Eating any food, even a tiny bite, made him throw up, so he'd hidden the food Zane brought him. But the smell gave it away.

        "Cole... Hey..." Damnit, Lloyd had spotted him. He was reaching over to turn on the light. "You really sho-"

        "Do-n't."

        Lloyd froze. His gaze locked on Cole, confused. Cole's voice had cracked, but he knew the noirette had been drinking water. If he hadn't been eating, he had at least been doing that. He wouldn't be alive, right now, without it. "Cole...? Are you... okay...?"

        "....no."

        Now, a worried frown pulled down the corners of Lloyd's mouth. He slowly moved closer, inching along until his leg hit Cole's bed. He reached out, then, until his fingers hit Cole's leg. The noirette recoiled, but in the corner, he could go nowhere. Lloyd would find out. He would know. He would scream, and the others would come, and then they would yell, and maybe kill him, or maybe they would run, or both, probably both. Kill him and then run. It didn't matter if he was their brother, if he loved Zane. They would kill him and leave him to rot, because an infected was an infected and they couldn't take liberties because he was their brother or the Earth Ninja. He deserved to die after ending so many so quickly.

        "Cole... Did you... Did you get bit...?"

        Cole broke, then. He started sobbing, curling up as tight as possible, but Lloyd was still there, ready to kill him, ready to tell the others and make sure there was nothing left of him. "Y-es. I'm sor-ry, sho-ul-d ha-ave ssai-d s'th-ing." He was forcing everything out, now, through tears and the mouth that didn't want to move. "I'm... So-rr-y..."

        Lloyd had moved back. Cole hid his face in his arms. He felt so gross. So dirty, like he could never get clean. It was an effect of the infection; there was a sort of slime, a thin layer that coated the infected. It was disgusting and he wanted to throw up every time he changed his clothes, so he didn't change anymore. He showered late at night, showered for hours on end because the city still had flowing water, he scrubbed at his skin until it was raw and his hands and face were bleeding because he scrubbed those the most, hoping he could work up the courage to kiss Zane at least once before it was finished with him, but by the time everyone was awake he had stopped bleeding and the slime was back and he threw up again. So he stopped showering.

        He smelled horrible. Like a dead animal. He felt horrible, he felt slimy and disgusting and dirty. He looked horrible, pale with dark veins and circles under his eyes because he didn't sleep, didn't need to but the physical looks still appeared, he hadn't looked at himself for days now but he was sure he looked as disgusting as he felt, as ugly as he felt.

        Lloyd was gone and he was still sobbing, still screaming at his own stupidity. He should have been a part of the infected that died, that disappeared, but no, destiny decided he had to suffer like this, to _feel_ himself turn. Most people, it happened overnight, while they slept, and they felt nothing. Just slipping to sleep and away they went. But Cole, Cole stayed awake, he didn't dare to sleep because he wanted to hold onto his humanity as much as he could, as long as he could if only to say 'I love you' to Zane before he was gone.

        He could hear them talking, he always could, even if they were whispering. He could see perfectly in the dark, any light started to hurt his eyes and he knew sunlight would be agony. So he'd turned off his lights and closed the blinds because he had no clue how long it would be until the skies cleared. His movements were awkward, like a robot that couldn't move in every way, and he felt so odd moving because he couldn't move how he'd wanted to, so he'd stopped moving, he'd stayed in this corner and only moved to get water - the only thing he apparently needed at this point - and dispose of food. The door was still open, the light was still coming in and he whimpered at it because the light _hurt,_ it hurt so much, even this dim, his eyes were already burning with his tears.

        Then something blocked the light, and the door closed. A soft voice, Zane's voice. "Can I turn on the light?"

        Cole nodded, then realized Zane couldn't see it, and croaked out a 'ye-es.' His throat hurt, he wasn't meant to talk this much. But he did because he had to, because there was no way to talk to everyone otherwise.

        The light turned on and he screeched, his eyes closed but they still burned, and Zane was about to turn them off before Cole managed, "Le-ave the-m onn. De-ser-vve... su-ff-r."

        "Cole..."

        The lights turned off and Cole lifted his head, it was a bit harder to see now and he was still crying before Zane was there, hugging him, whispering soothing words. Wasn't he disgusted by him? He had to be. He was just being a good friend.

        "Lloyd told us," the platinum blond whispered. "We talked, and the others decided to kill you, as regrettable as it is. But-"

        "In-fec-ed iss in-fe-cted."

        "Yes..." Zane took a breath, pulling away from him to stare him in the eye. "So I'm going to help you leave."

        Cole shook his head, moving back. As much as he could, anyways. "I die."

        "Cole-"

        "I die fo-r th-os-ee I ki-ll."

        Zane's gaze softened. "Cole, if you die, those who perished have no hope of knowing their accidental killer gets a happy ending."

        "I. Do-n't. Get. On-ee."

        "Yes, you do. And I'm going to make sure of it."

        And with that, he was out like a light.


	3. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cole needs a hug, he gets a friend at the end so close enough

        He'd woken up in a forest. He'd jerked up, afraid he'd lost himself, before realizing he could still think and feel. Which confused him, because sleeping sped the effects of infection. He'd wanted to scream at Zane, tell him no he deserved to be killed, he deserved the darkness of death because he was little better than Ninjago's worst killer- hell, he was hardly better than the Overlord, at this point. And unlike before, when the thought would have made him sick, it didn't now.

        Because he had accepted the truth. He was a monster. He was a murderer.

        So why was his mind still human?

        Those thoughts made his head hurt, so he pushed them away. He had to find out where the hell he was, and how the hell he could kill himself fastest. Because he deserved death.

        Damn, if he kept going into that thought process all day, he'd never do anything.

        Cole's survival instincts told him to find water. His throat was dry, his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. He'd been out for a while. Probably Zane's way of making sure he could get the noirette away in time. Or... Perhaps he used it as a way to get him out without the others killing him? The infected had no heartbeat and had no need to breathe, so if he were unconscious, it would look like Zane had gone in to say personal goodbyes and killed him as gently as possible. And the others probably believed him, because they were either too much in grief (unlikely) or too much in disgust to go near him and figure out if it was the truth (more likely).

        Thinking of Zane made his heart ache as he finally started moving. The platinum blond... He'd never get to see him again, would he? He'd never get to say what he wanted to, speak his heart... He'd never get to know how Zane felt in return. The thought would have brought tears to his eyes if he could cry.

        Cole's body, in all respects, was infected. He moved in the infuriatingly slow pace the infected walked in when they weren't attacking something or someone. His skin was greyish-black thanks to the slime-grease-whatever coating his skin. He still wanted to barf at that. Anyways. His eyes were dull, he knew this. It was something all infected shared. Or were they? Perhaps the dullness was from lack of thought, lack of happiness? The dullness... Was brokenness.

        Then perhaps his eyes were the same after all. He wanted to die.

        Other features would make themselves known as the infection continued to ravage his body. After months of studying, he knew quite well what would happen to him. Muscle would be lost, his skin would darken further - some of the most deadly infected were the ones that were pitch-black; they blended with the shadows too well - and he would essentially become skin and bone. Eerily, the furthest along he'd seen an infected reminded him of Garmadon. Black skin pulled so tight against ones ribs that the bones were stark white, almost blinding against the inky darkness around it. When he'd first seen Garmadon, he at first had thought it just a condition of what he looked like thanks to the venom, but peeks at Garmadon's sides had proved otherwise, especially when the dark lord was with them in trying to find Lloyd.

        And those times made Cole wonder just how much Garmadon had eaten since his banishment. It was one of the many things to pity about the lord; the biggest of all was the pain one could see in father and son's eyes as they fought, indirectly or otherwise. Before learning of the Overlord, after all, they had all assumed either Garmadon would be destroyed... or Lloyd would. And very nearly had the blond's end occurred; had it not been for Kai, the kid would be trapped in the fire temple, baking alive until the lava...

        Cole quickly steered his thoughts from that path. Lloyd was alright, now. He was stronger, though scarred. Everything that had happened had ruined the blond's mind, bit by bit, most of all the loss of Garmadon. Everyone was still unsure if he was actually alive or dead, but it was best to prepare for the worst but hope for the best. Though by now, he suspected Lloyd was the only one that still had a strong belief his father was alive.

        Jealousy streaked through him. For if Garmadon _was_ still alive, Lloyd would have more than any of them. The junkyard Jay grew up in had been decimated, no sign of his parents anywhere. Kai and Nya had hardly had parents to begin with. Zane's father had perished long ago. Cole had only vague memories of his mother, and... Before they'd started searching for survivors, Zane had agreed to go with Cole on a more personal mission. They had traveled to Cole's home on foot (vehicles were useless, the Bounty was grounded after everything that had happened, and who knew where Ultra Dragon had gone) to search for his father. They'd found him, alright... In the middle of a pile of infected. So many bites and scratches had turned him instantly, a mercy not many had. Any attempt to find a shred of humanity in his father had left him with no results. That day had taken Cole's heart, broken off a large chunk, and disappeared with it.

        Even now, two years later, Cole felt the sting of the loss. If he had been there sooner, if he had done _anything_ differently, his father might still be alive. Not the dead-like state of the infected. He had hardly been responsive an entire month after that day. He'd lost his only blood family. Even though he had his newer family, one that had their problems but also their strengths, his father had still been there, and supported him.

        Zane had been there for him.

        He'd been silent when Cole didn't want to talk and spoke with him when he did. Just knowing Zane was there had been enough, most days. And eventually, Zane had coaxed him back into eating and interacting with the others. It was a slow, tedious process and Cole had no idea why Zane didn't give up.

        Cole suspected that was when he realized how he'd really felt for the platinum blond.

        Mostly, he had stayed quiet for fear of rejection and judgement. Or worse, no response at all. Zane was an artificial intelligence. Who was to say he even had the ability to love like a human? Of course, his programming made him as human as possible; he 'felt' affection to his father and his new family, just as any of them did, but there was no way to tell if he truly felt 'love.'

        And if Cole kept thinking like this, his thoughts would turn philosophical, as they often did when he was left alone to think for long periods of time.

        Without realizing it, he'd reached a river. It was slow-moving, with a sort of sludge sliding along the top (not too different from how his skin looked) but he knew the water beneath was fresh. As fresh as it could be at this point, anyways. So in his awkward motions, he knelt, bent down a bit, and poked a finger through the sludge. The hole stretched on and on, rejoining several feet from where his finger separated it. He stuck his whole hand in, scooping with the other to drink. Indeed, the water was fresh underneath; cold on his tongue, giving a slight shock to his nerves that alerted his mind more than it usually was. A shiver forced its way down his spine, a movement that, for a moment, made his body feel human.

        And then it was gone. With a mental - and partly physical - sigh, he drank a few more times before standing. He didn't know if normal infected needed water, and if they didn't, he once more wondered why he did. What made him different? Why could he still think?

        "Why?"

        He jumped at his own voice. Mostly at the ease of which he was able to speak. Last time he'd tried was with Zane, right before getting knocked out. And that had been difficult - thinking easy, speaking hard.

        His head was hurting again.

        With a shake of his head, he turned.

        And then gave a shriek and fell back into the river.

        Something tugged him out a moment later. Despite not fully needing air, his mind went into _'breathe, you damn idiot'_ mode. He gasped and felt relieved to feel fresh air, not the sludge water he'd gotten when he'd tried to breathe in the river. After a moment, he realized he was alone on the shore, and confusion filled him. There had been someone behind him. Someone had pulled him out.

        Someone... Someone that wasn't infected. Someone that had known he still had a human mind.

        But _how?_

        "I suppose you're wondering how I know you're not mentally infected."

        Cole spun again, his heart leaping to his throat. He could see them - him - now; the faint outline among the shadows, squatting. Muddy red eyes glinted at him in the faint light, blinking curiously.

        "Cole."

        "Ho-w do y-ouu k-kno-w-?"

        "Long story. One that would bore you. Trust me." The stranger stood and stepped from the shadows. He was young. Around Lloyd or Jay's age, at least, and Cole's own age, at most, from looks alone. His eyes fascinated Cole. He'd never seen naturally red eyes before. Only the bright red of Garmadon's. "It would appear we're both in similar situations, however."

        Something about the voice was familiar to Cole, but he couldn't place it. It was truly frustrating. He knew this person from _somewhere._

_But where?_

        "So, how did you get away from them? Did you run in the night? Or did you fake your death? I wouldn't put either past you, at this point."

        "Za-ane." Why was he telling this to a stranger-slash-person-he'd-met-but-forgot? No clue. "Zan-e fa-ked myy de-ath."

        "Ah... That makes sense. You two were always closer than you allowed yourself to be with the others."

        Cole reeled back a bit, confusion and shock dancing through his mind. So this man had known them enough to know this? Perhaps he was one of the survivors. Yes. That was it. A survivor from another group that had noticed this. But why was the teen out here instead of safe in the city?

        "Anyways. As to why I'm out here, I really have no clue. Similar to how you likely woke, I didn't bring myself here. Don't know who hated me enough to kick me out or who cared enough to get me away from any problem that may have occurred. Either way, we're both stuck in a forest of infected."

        Cole squinted a bit at him. It was a believable story. Many people had lost loved ones, and many fights had started during nights the groups starved. But... Forest of infected? How did the teen know that? Cole hadn't seen any. Then again, on his way here, he hadn't been looking particularly hard. So instead of questioning that, he asked - or tried to - "Wh-y werre yo-u fo-ll-o-ww-in-g mee?"

        "You looked different from the others. Your eyes gave it away before your actions did. Bright, alert, and also confused. You're wondering why you still have your mind intact when the infection should have spread there already."

        "Ye-ss."

        "Mm... Were you awake the night after you got infected?"

        A nod, this time. His throat hurt.

        "That might be it. Most people feel overwhelmingly tired the night of infection. They're mentally exhausted, by that point, as well as physically. They don't have the will to stay awake, especially if they've been abandoned by a group they were with. You, however, were in the city. Innocent lives were at stake if you slept. The lives of your family. So unlike everyone, you had a reason to stay awake. And the elements have unknown effects. Used _on_ an infected, it kills them almost instantly. Used _in_ an infected... We don't know. You're the first."

        "A-ree y-ou a... A sc-ii-en-tiist...?"

        "No, but like everyone else, I watch for symptoms. I watch for improvements. Anything that can cure people... Anything that can save loved ones."

        Cole grimaced. What happened in the city had come back to haunt him again.

        The teen's voice softened, now. "What you did in the city was inevitable. One of the ninja would have become surrounded. Despite how good you guys are, that's just fact... You witnessed it firsthand, with the infected that bit you. It didn't come from the ground."

        Cole nodded. Absently, he rubbed his arm, where the infected had clamped down on him.

        "I didn't tell anyone because you didn't. I knew if you wanted to give in, you would have told one of them before ever allowing yourself to be near them. You had a plan, even if you didn't realize it."

        Damn, this kid was smart.

        "And now, you're the first infected to still have normal, human thought."

        As normal as wanting to die was, apparently.

        "So now, we just have to get back to the city and prove it."

        "The-yy wa-nt mee de-ad. Can-'t blaa-me the-em."

        "They want you dead because they think your mind is gone. But if we prove that's not the case... You have a sort of immunity. They could find out how to reverse the effects." The teen stepped closer, resting a hand on Cole's shoulder. "You could save many, many more than you unwillingly destroyed."

        Cole remained silent for several moments. It wouldn't be an easy task, he knew. But...

        He would get to see Zane.

        He could cure his father.

        "A-alri-ght."

        "Yes!" The teen pumped a fist in the air, grinning. "Thank you!"

        The brunette's excitement was contagious. A small smile tugged at Cole's lips, especially as the teen held out a hand. "Sorry. Forgot to say - I'm Mark."

        "Ni-ce to mee-et yo-u, Ma-ark." Feeling more happy than he had in days, Cole shook his hand. Gosh, this kid would be the death of him. In a good way.

        And for the first time in days, along with a smile, Cole had hope. And for once in several days... He didn't want to die.

        A great start to a friendship, indeed.


	4. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> nightmare - skip the italics if you don't like somewhat descriptive torturous death, otherwise it's the typical zombie survival day for these two

_He could hear the blond screaming for help, wailing as the heat got too intense for his young body. He saw the brunette look between the exit, his main escape with the fang blade to stop the Devourer, and the blond. He wanted to scream out as he turned and fled, leaving the child behind._

_Lloyd wailed at this. "Kai! Please, don't leave me here!"_

_The earth heated up rapidly. The ice melted instantly. The lightning just made the volcano more unstable. Despite the tugs on his arms, he resisted, yelling for Lloyd, because they'd just gotten him back and hell if he would lose the little troublemaker. Hell if he would lose his-_

_Wails turned to screams of pure terror and pain as the single remaining rock, the one Lloyd was on, heated to unbearable temperatures. They all knew the volcano was going to blow, was going to engulf all of them in scalding, melting liquid, but Lloyd would be first, he would be the worst. His death wouldn't be instant, it would be agonizing and slow._

_Lava crept along the edges of the rock, and he could see Lloyd sobbing, could faintly hear it over the screams. Screams that turned from fear to pain to agony as the lava finally reached him, started burning him, and he couldn't stand and then his clothes were lit and then they were pulling him away but not before he got one last look of desperate, hazel eyes and wished for the love of god that he could do something, **anything** with his damn element and then-_

-

        _What the fuck was that?_

        Cole's gaze shot to Mark as the brunette shot into a sitting position with the yell of a name that was too jumbled with 'no' and 'please' for him to hear. He shifted from the fire he'd started, moving to Mark and resting a hand on his shoulder. For a moment, he jerked back from the touch, before his ruby eyes met Cole's and shaking, on the verge of tears, he stopped screaming. Cole pitied him - nightmares of one's family were a common thing. He couldn't remember his own dreams or nightmares even when he was able to sleep, but he doubted they were good most days.

        "S-sorry," Mark mumbled, looking down. "I get bad nightmares..." Cole smiled gently at him, patting his shoulder before moving back to the fire. He might not have known much about cooking, but the few times he'd cooked with Zane or with the platinum blond's advice, what he was making now turned out pretty good. Of course, he normally made large batches, so he'd had to guess at the ingredient amounts, but he hoped it would be good enough for Mark. (Seeing as he himself still didn't have to eat.)

        Honestly, the teen had put him in a much better mood. He reminded Cole of Jay, when it was just the two of them training under Wu all those years ago. It brought a smile to his face now; Wu had dropped them in the forest at some point and told them to survive for a week. He'd been testing how well they could improvise. Jay had come up with all sorts of ways to make weapons; using the metal from their belts to carve wood, using fire to harden said wood, setting up traps made of vines and rocks for small animals, so on. He had amazed Cole then, just as he amazed Cole now when he made victory possible with his crazy yet miracle inventions. After all, without them, they never would have gotten the Nunchuks of Lightning safely back to the monastery.

        As terrifying as falling/flying like that had been, it had saved their mission and quite possibly their lives.

        Snapping from his thoughts, he grabbed the bowl he'd fashioned overnight (no need for sleep) and the spoon to go along with it, offering them to Mark. It had taken a few tries to get perfectly clean water, and he'd had to hunt a while for the herbs and plants he needed, but he'd managed all of it while Mark was asleep. Which wasn't completely surprising, as Mark had fallen asleep early and woken well after sunrise. Well, as far as Cole could tell was sunrise with the dark, constant overcast.

        The brunette blinked in surprise, hesitantly accepting the bowl. "Are you not gonna eat?"

        Cole shook his head, moving to stamp out the fire. "Do-n't need t-o."

        "Ah. Right. Sorry."

        "It-s fi-ine."

        They talked about random things as Mark ate. Cole questioned what his nightmare had been about, Mark replied he had no clue, which was to be expected. From experience, he knew the troubling occurrence was often. Eventually, Cole swung the topic in the direction both had been avoiding: where they went and what they did. Mark was hesitant to answer this, so Cole set a realistic goal: find an end to the forest. From there, hopefully, they could find a village that marked their location and go from there. And after Mark was finished eating, they were ready to set off... aside from the fact they didn't know which way to go.

        "Away from the river?" Mark murmured, looking at the water. "Or along it? Along it would surely lead us somewhere, but against the flow or with it? We'd have to reach some larger body of water somewhere..."

        "With," Cole spoke up. He found speaking one word responses let him speak easier. Mark glanced at him, then nodded. "Alright. With the river we go."

        The first fifteen minutes or so of the trip were uneventful. And then they spotted infected across the river, and they spotted them, and they began to screech in that nightmare-inducing battle cry that would alert any in the surrounding few miles to prey.

        And when there was prey, these assholes could move fast.

        Mark was starting to run and got a few good meters away before realizing Cole wasn't with him. He spun on his heel, then nearly choked when he saw Cole growling lowly at the trees. Very similar to how infected often warded off others from their prey... Had Cole's mind finally...?

        He backed up steadily as Cole approached. The older grabbed his forearm and pulled him close, close enough to mutter in his ear, "Play along," before acting like he was sinking his teeth into the brunette's neck. It made him shudder and it made his eyes widen, and a slight poke from Cole left him limp.

        _Jesus fucking Christ,_ Mark thought, _I will never doubt him again...!_

        He remained limp, letting Cole drag him for a while, until the other infected had backed off and left. At that point, Cole pushed him into the trees and started... rubbing... the slimy... "Dude what the fuck-"

        "Shush," Cole growled, sending him a look. Right. There were probably still infected around them, watching. "In-fec-ted loo-k and sme-ll. You ne-ed to lo-ok in-fe-ct-ed."

        The brunette grimaced at the feeling of the slimy substance on his skin, but didn't protest. Cole was right; after spotting prey, the infected locked on to the smell if their prey tried to run. It was why they were so deadly and so efficient. And why most people were unprepared until it was too late. So he closed his eyes, face set in a grimace, and let Cole spread the substance over his visible skin and under his clothes a bit in case they shifted. It made his skin look dark and dirty, just like Cole's was, he realized, when he opened his eyes. He swore for a moment he could see slightly tanned skin, but it was gone in an instant, so he wondered if it was real. Cole was a bit more hesitant on his face, waiting for permission.

        Holding his breath, Mark nodded. This was an interesting day indeed.


	5. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> cole is a cutie, WARNING: END OF CHAPTER HAS FLASHBACKS TO SUICIDE ATTEMPTS

        "For the love of god can I scrape this off-"

        "No."

        "Cole, we're settled down for the night-"

        "No."

        "Come on-"

        "No."

        "I feel like I'm gonna-"

        "No."

        "Cole-"

        _"No."_

        "Why?!"

        Cole's gaze shifted to him. The light of the small fire he'd made danced off his eyes. He tapped his nose. "Infected. Smell."

        "You've said that already, but-"

        "You. Infected. Not same. Human. Infected. Not same."

        Mark gave a groan, rubbing at the sludge on his cheek. The shit smelled worse than, well, shit. It was like rotting animals, only worse. The grossest smell you can think of? Multiply that and that's why he wanted to puke. He didn't know how Cole could stand it. His sense of smell was only heightened from infection. He pulled his hand away and shuddered, grimacing and flicking it away.

        "Seriously, there's not even any infected around..."

        Cole, having turned back to his cooking, simply pointed at himself. The meaning was clear. Cole still believed his mind might turn at the last moment and he'd kill Mark in his sleep. It was heartbreaking that the noirette had no faith in himself, but.. It was a valid concern, if one thought of it.

        One other thought stuck in Mark's head through the day - the fact he'd seen a brief glimpse of Cole's skin when the sludge was being put on his skin. Cole didn't seem to notice it, so it made the brunette doubt he'd actually seen it, but.. Through the day, Cole had rubbed at his arm. It was always brief, but he could seen faintly tanned skin each time it happened.

        "Cole, I... I need to tell you something."

        "No com-"

        "I'm not, I promise. I think I have an idea as to why you look like an infected... Can you give me your arm?"

        Cole raised an eyebrow at him, but slowly did as asked. Palm-up, Mark started rubbing at the former's arm. Sure enough, with each swipe, bits of skin showed through. Cole sucked in a breath, jerking his arm away and staring at the area. The sludge there wasn't as thick, but it was quickly filling in, so he copied Mark, shoving it to the side. The look of awe in Cole's expression made Mark's heart melt, like seeing a tiny kitten. It was adorable.

        Cole looked up at him, a grin spreading across his face. It was the first smile that Mark had seen since they'd joined up. "I'm... I'm still..."

        "Yeah... I noticed it earlier, but I had to be sure. That's why I wait-"

        Before he could finish, he was on the ground on his back with arms tightly wrapped around him. It took him a moment to realize Cole was hugging him. The noirette's face was hidden in his shirt, and.... was he crying? Jesus fuck, he was.

        "Ah- hey, I don't really know what to do when someone's... y'know."

        "So-rry," Cole rasped out, sitting up. From his grin, though, he didn't seem too sorry. "Jus-t happy."

        "Mm... This is the first step in the right direction. We can still see your skin, it's just hidden under  this stuff.... We'll figure it out, Cole. Soon."

        "Tha-nk you..."

        "....seriously, can I take this off-"

        "No."        

        _"Oh, come on!"_

With a smile, Cole ignored him, looking up at the sky. His breath caught as he saw tiny pinpricks of light through the trees, and instantly, he was on his feet and climbing. Mark could only blink in confusion before following his gaze, his own softening. Cole had expressed a love for stargazing the prior night and his longing to see the stars again. It was a rare occurrence, but the stars did show through now and again. And tonight, there was even shreds of the moon.

        And this time, the moon was there. Cole was utterly breathless as he looked up, just sitting in a tree and watching. The last time the stars had come out, Zane had woken him and just lain there with him. It had been the eve after they visited Cole's village and seen the fate of his father, when they were heading back. It had been a great comfort, just laying against Zane with cool arms around him.

        Cole's eyes shut as he felt tears prick them. That was new. But... He had to hope. He would hope.

        He would see Zane again, and they would go stargazing as much as they wanted.

-

        Cole was way too smug the next morning. He knew it was a little mean, but hey, it _was_ for Mark's safety. In the back of his mind, he kept wondering at the revelations of the previous night, but mostly he was just happy he could still actually see his skin. He kept rubbing away bits to see it again, to prove it wasn't just a dream or hallucination.

        Sadly, to not attract attention, they couldn't talk along the way. Talking would attract attention very fast, and they did not want that. Cole doubted Mark could outrun anything that came near him, even if the noirette provided cover and a slow-down. He didn't mind, much. He'd always been the quiet guy of the group, so silence comforted him. And besides, he liked being in nature, in the earth.

        With a jolt, he stopped, looking down at his hand. Mark paused a few steps ahead, blinking at him in confusion. "Cole? What is it?"

        How had he been so stupid before? Just because he was infected... Didn't mean he couldn't use his powers!

        With a noise of joy, he nearly jumped in happiness as, just as easily as ever, earth lifted at his fingertips. His cheeks would get sore from so much grinning, but so be it. The thought of using his element had completely escaped him.

        His grin fell as his mouth dropped open in shock. The earth fell back into place, and he stared at his hand (and part of his arm).

        "Cole-?"

        He turned, showing his hand to Mark. A soft gasp sounded from the shorter, and he quickly grabbed Cole's now-slime-free wrist. "I- Oh my god...! Your hand...!"

        "The elements," Cole whispered. His voice was hoarse, but he didn't struggle to connect words like he normally did. "The elements are our best weapon against infected..."

        "But the infected aren't actually dead," Mark breathed. Cole shook his head, looking back down at his hand. He twisted it a bit, humming fondly upon seeing a small scar he'd gotten when he was young. He was trying to mimic his father dancing and had accidentally stabbed himself with the pen he was meant to be doing homework with.

        Oops.

        Hey, he'd been a clumsy kid.

        Unlike the night before, the slime did not regenerate rapidly. He could see it gradually creeping back to his hand, but a quick flick of the wrist that sent a few rocks into the river sent it back, near his elbow. He gave a hum of satisfaction, glancing to his other arm. Indeed, the same thing was mimicked.

        He looked up at Mark, a smile once more overtaking his face. "I think we have an answer."

-

        Ever since Cole had died, everyone was very quiet. Even Jay and Kai, the two loudmouths who would find anything to argue about, were quiet most of the time. They could see how much it affected Zane and Lloyd especially; the blond had basically clung to Cole and his horrible cooking because the noirette was the only one that would sneak him candy as a kid or train with him late at night to work out nightmares and frustrations, especially the closer they'd drawn to fighting the Overlord.

        Which, Lloyd reflected sadly, had never come to pass.

        He was in Zane's room, now. They had switched buildings recently, to hopefully block some of the darkness surrounding it, but there was little success. Zane was holding him close, and both were staring out at the stars. It was one of the rare nights the stars were actually visible. Similar to Cole, halfway across Ninjago, they were in silent awe. It was slightly dimmed by the fact Cole was no longer with them - at least, so Lloyd thought - but amazing nonetheless.

        And then, for a brief minute, the clouds cleared and the full moon came out. Where Cole was, he had only seen slivers, but in the city, lights long turned off by lack of power, the view was clear enough that they could see for miles.

        Lloyd thought it cruel that the sky decided to show such beauty so soon after the death of a brother. Zane imagined it as a sign, a way to say Cole was looking at the same sky somewhere and making his way back to them. To him.

        "Zane?"

        The platinum blond gave a hum, glancing down at the golden fuzz under his chin. Lloyd's eyes had shut, tiredness seeping through his mind. "Are you sure you don't want to go back to your room?" he asked softly, but Lloyd shook his head, yawning.

        "I can't sleep alone. Not after that."

        Zane's heart ached for the blond. Forced to age faster - even before Tomorrow's Tea, really - and miss his childhood, he didn't have the best coping skills in the world. He knew the younger tended to bottle everything up and unleash it in a bloody, violent way, most often on himself but sometimes on others. The evidence could be seen plainly in the bandages wrapped around Lloyd's wrists and arms.

        Twice, Lloyd had attempted to take his life while among the ninja. The first was as only a child, when everyone still criticized him and threw him out. Seeing the blond with an empty, previously full, bottle of painkillers and deep gouges on his wrists had made Zane's heart stop. Children were innocents, pure and blessings. The world tainted them slowly from the moment they let out their first cry. Suffering and hate were forced onto them, though some had more armor than others. But Lloyd had no armor. Father forced out of his life before birth and mother abandoning him at a young age, to the point he hardly remembered her, he had known no love when he came to the ninja. The world had taught him hate was the only thing he would receive, and the blond retaliated desperately.

        And when he'd had a chance at having a real family, they had rejected him. In hindsight, only Jay had actually tried to be nice to the blond. But it was lost among suffocating hate. Zane himself had been more cold and short than hateful, and Cole had done nothing bad, but had not done much to help, either.

        He remembered the day perfectly. Lloyd had been going around the monastery, trying to show a drawing he'd made. The drawing was with amazing detail, of all five ninja, with a nervous Lloyd in the center and the words 'I'm sorry' scrawled in Lloyd's still-messy handwriting. It wasn't even spelled correctly, which had made Zane rethink everything about the blond's teaching.

        After rejection after rejection, including from his uncle (whom, in the midst of trying to meditate, had grown angry at the blond and thrown him out - literally) the blond had had enough. He'd gone to the bathroom with a small knife from the kitchen and a bottle of pills. An overdose to dull the pain, cuts to bleed out while he drifted off. It was only when Zane had noticed the knife missing - around the same time the blond had actually done it - that he had gone to check with everyone and, finally, Lloyd. But the blond wasn't in his room, so he'd checked everywhere. Worry had grown naturally when no reply echoed, and finally, he and his brothers had found the blond.

        The drawing had been torn in half. A small heart that had been added was split perfectly in two. A broken heart, a broken body. Blood had stained the few white areas of the paper, and small discolorations had proven evidence of tears. Lloyd had been rushed to the emergency room as fast as Zane could go.

        It had taken three months for him to actually open up to them. When he did, there were many tears, many 'I'm sorry's, and a lot of tracing over scars. The blond had a lot more at the time than Zane was comfortable with. In the end, the blond had gotten too panicked to speak, and Cole had brought him outside, where he simply played music and let the blond do things in his own time. He had glared away anyone who tried to interrupt.

        The second time he tried was only days ago. After alerting everyone to Cole's condition, he had been alone in his room with a razor. Hence the bandages now on his wrists. Jay, thankfully, had caught him in the act. Zane had redone his bandages more tightly when he'd returned from his absence to get Cole away from hateful citizens. The blond had later explained why; the loss of a brother, he'd said, felt like a blow to himself. He, after all, was meant to lead them. And what good would it do if they died?

        "Do you think he's out there?"

        "Hmm....?"

        "I just.... there's this feeling. That he's out there, that he's gonna be okay... I dunno..."

        Zane paused, shifted the younger in his arms, and brushed a hand through his hair. "I know he is. I didn't kill him."

        Lloyd's head shot up, and Zane gently shushed him. "You can't let the others know, not yet. I have to wait for things to die down a bit more before I can go find him again. You know he wasn't infected, not truly. His mind was still fighting. His body was the only thing that looked the part." He sighed softly, resting his chin on Lloyd's head again. "He can't see it, but he's making a trail that I can use to find him again. His room... When I entered, it was covered in ice. The rest of the building was heated to some degree. I... I think that's why he didn't turn, and why infected cannot go into very cold areas. Whatever takes over their mind... It cannot live in the cold."

        "So... He has hope...?"

        "They all do. I just need to find him again.... Then I can prove it."

        "We."

        A smile touched Zane's lips. "Yes. We will prove it, Lloyd."

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posted from my Quotev account of the same name. Comments appreciated!


End file.
